Program Effectiveness & Recovery Survey (FEMA Form 007-0-20)

Program Effectiveness & Recovery Survey

OMB Control Number 1660-0128

Expiration Date xx/xx/xxxx

PAPERWORK BURDEN DISCLOSURE NOTICE: Public reporting burden for this survey is estimated to average 14 minutes per response. The burden estimate includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and submitting the survey. You are not required to respond to this collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number near the title of the electronic collection instrument, or for on-line applications, on the first screen viewed by the respondents. Send comments regarding the accuracy of the burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to: Information Collections Management, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20472, Paperwork Reduction Project (1660-NEW) NOTE: Do not send your completed form to this address. The following survey is voluntary.

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT

AUTHORITY: Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), 5 U.S.C. Ch. 3 as amended and the GPRA of 2010 (P.L. 111-352); Executive Order (EO) 12862, “Setting Customer Service Standards;” and its March 23, 1995 Memorandum addendum, “Improving Customer Service;” Executive Order 13411 “Improving Assistance for Disaster Victims;” Executive Order 13571 “Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service;” and its June 13, 2011 Memorandum “Implementing Executive Order 13571 on Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service.”

PRINCIPAL PURPOSE(S): DHS/FEMA collects this information to measure Individual Assistance customers’ satisfaction with FEMA services.

ROUTINE USE(S): This information is used for the principal purpose(s) noted above and will not be shared outside of DHS/FEMA, except as allowed under DHS/FEMA-008 - Disaster Recovery Assistance Files (April 30, 2013, 78 FR 25282), or as required by law.

DISCLOSURE: The disclosure of information on this form is strictly voluntary and will assist FEMA is making improvements to its Individual Assistance program; failure to provide the information requested will not impact the provision of FEMA Individual Assistance to qualified entities.

QUESTIONS

Introduction

Hello, I’m calling from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. My name is ___________. My ID # is __________. May I please speak with [App Name] or the person most familiar with your case?

If No: What would be a better time to call back?

Thank you for your time and have a good day/evening.

If Yes: We’re looking for ways to improve the quality of our service and your opinion is very important to us. Would you volunteer to take 10-14 minutes to answer some questions?

If No: What would be a better time to call back?

Thank you for your time and have a good day/evening.

If Yes: Thank you. These questions comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 and have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under number 1660-0128. Your answers will not affect the outcome of your application for FEMA assistance. This call may be monitored and/or recorded for quality assurance.

FEMA is very interested in feedback from you about your experiences during the [disaster type] that occurred in [Incident Period Month and Year i.e. April, 2012).

1. Overall, how would you rate the support you received from FEMA since the disaster occurred? Would you say it's been... (Read Rating Scale)

• Excellent

• Good

• Satisfactory

• Below Average

• Poor

• Don't know / No opinion

If response = Below Average or Poor go to Q1a else to go Q2.

1a. Which of the following best describes why you rated FEMA support [Q1 response]… (Read List Mark All That Apply)

• The amount of money received from FEMA

• Not all damages were eligible for assistance

• Took too long to receive money or assistance

• Complexity of FEMA’s Assistance process (Probe & Specify)

• The SBA Loan

• Too much paper work (Probe & Specify)

• Customer Service

• Lack of accommodation for disability, access and functional needs

• Other reasons (Probe & Specify)

2. How would you rate the information you received from FEMA to help you recover since the disaster occurred? Would you say it's been: (Read Rating Scale)

• Excellent

• Good

• Satisfactory

• Below Average

• Poor

• Don't know / No opinion

If response = Below Average or Poor go to 2a else go to Q3.

2a. Would you say the primary factors that caused you to rate FEMA Information [Q2 response] were:

(Read List Mark All That Apply)

• Timeliness of the information

• Information was too complicated or not clear (Probe & Specify)

• Too much information

• Not enough information

• Did not receive any information from FEMA

• Incorrect or inconsistent Information (Probe & Specify)

• Not in an accessible format for disability or functional needs

•  Other reasons (Probe & Specify)

Shortly after the disaster was declared for Federal Assistance, information about FEMA’s disaster assistance programs was made available through a variety of sources.

3. Did your household utilize any information provided in a language other than English? (Do Not Read List)

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Remember

If response = Yes go to 3a else go to 3f

3a. What language was that? (Do Not Read List)

• Arabic

• Cambodian

• Chinese

• French

• Greek

• Haitian-Creole

• Hindi

• Italian

• Japanese

• Korean

• Laotian

• Polish

• Portuguese

• Russian

• Spanish

• Tagalog

• Thai

• Urdu

• Vietnamese

• Other (Specify)

Thinking about the information provided in [Response 3a] and using a rating scale of Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Below Average or Poor how would you rate the information on:

3b. Being easy to understand

3c. Answering your questions

3d. Being available when you needed it

3e. What suggestions do you have for improving information provided in [Response 3a]?

3f. Which one of the following was your main source for information about FEMA programs? (Read List)

• FEMA.gov or DisasterAssistance.gov websites

• Other websites or Internet searches

• FEMA Disaster Workers

• Other disaster workers like American Red Cross or local volunteers

• FEMA Booklets and Documents received by mail or electronically

• Radio, Television or Newspaper

• Social Media (Probe & Specify Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

• Friends, Relatives or Neighbors

• Insurance Company or others that you do business with

• Community Groups like clubs, schools, churches

• Text messages or alerts (Probe & Specify from whom)

• Other (Probe & Specify)

• Don’t know/Don’t remember

If response = FEMA.gov or DisasterAssistance.gov websites go to Q3g, if response = FEMA Disaster Workers go to Q3i or if response = FEMA Booklets and Documents received by mail or electronically go to Q3k else go to Q4

3g. Would you say the information provided through the [Q3f Response FEMA.gov or Disaster Assistance.gov website] was… (Read Rating Scale)

• Very helpful,

• Helpful

• Not very helpful

If response = Not very helpful go 3h else go to Q4

3h. What could be changed to make information on the [Q3f Response FEMA.gov or DisasterAssistanc.gov website] more helpful?

Go to Q4

3i. Would you say the information provided by the [Q3 response FEMA Disaster Worker} was… (Read List)

• Very helpful

• Helpful

• Not very helpful

If response = Not very helpful go 3j else go to Q4

3j. What could be changed to make information provided by FEMA Disaster workers more helpful?

Go to Q4

3k. Did you read the FEMA Booklets and materials as a… (Read List Select 1)

• Standard Paper version

• Large Print Paper version

• Braille version

• Online version accessed through a FEMA website

• Don’t Know/Don’t Remember

Using a rating scale of Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Below Average or Poor, how would you rate the material on:

3l. Being easy to understand

3m. Containing helpful information

3n. Being well organized

3o. Overall, how would you rate the information, would you say it was… (Read Rating Scale)

• Excellent

• Good

• Satisfactory

• Below Average

• Poor

If Q3o response = Below Average or Poor go to Q3p else go to Q4

3p. What suggestions do you have for making those materials more helpful to disaster survivors?

EXPECTATIONS

In answering the next questions, please think back on your disaster experience from the time of registering for FEMA assistance to the present.

4. Which one of the following was most significant in setting your expectations on how FEMA programs might help you? Was it… (Read List Select 1)

• The information packet received from FEMA by US mail or electronically

• FEMA.gov or DisasterAssistance.gov website

• A representative at FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Center

• A representative at FEMA’s toll free number

• A FEMA representative that you met with face to face (Probe & Specify)

• A Town Hall or other public meeting

• Radio, Television or Newspaper

• Social media like Facebook or twitter

• Friends or family members

• Other (Probe & Specify)

• Had no expectations

If Q4 response = Had no expectations go to Q5 else go to Q4a.

4a. Has FEMA Exceeded, Met or Failed to meet your expectations?

• Exceeded

• Met

• Failed to Meet

• Don’t know / No opinion / Had no expectations

If Q4a response = Failed to Meet go to Q4b else go to Q5

4b. In what areas did FEMA fail to meet your expectations? (Do Not Read List Mark All That Apply)

• The Amount of money received

• No Money received from FEMA

• Took too long to receive money

• Not all items lost or damaged were eligible

• Complexity of the assistance process and paperwork

• The SBA loan (Probe & Specify)

• Customer Service (Probe & Specify)

• Took too long to declare disaster

• Other (Probe & Specify)

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FEMA provides financial assistance to help with uninsured disaster related-damages such as home repairs, temporary rental assistance, vehicle, clothing, household items, miscellaneous items, medical/dental/funeral expenses, and child care.

5. How would you rate the financial assistance, provided by FEMA, in helping you to meet your disaster related needs? Would you say it was… (Read Rating Scale)

• Excellent

• Good

• Satisfactory

• Below Average

• Poor

• Don’t know / No opinion

If response = Below Average or Poor Q5a else go to Q6

5a. What were the the primary factors for rating the financial assistances received from FEMA as [Q5 response]? (Do Not Read List Mark All That Apply)

• No or Not enough money for Home Repairs

• No or Not enough money for Rental Assistance

• No or Not enough money for Personal Property like vehicles, furniture, clothing or household items

• No or Not enough money for Child Care (Probe & Specify)

• No or Not enough money for medical, dental or funeral expenses

• Did not qualify for any FEMA assistance

• Insurance issues (Probe & Specify)

• SBA loan issues

• Business, Farm, Rental Property or Secondary home damages

• Other (Probe & Specify)

If response = Did not qualify for any FEMA assistance and SBA code is not = FIT go to Q7, if response = Did not qualify for any FEMA assistance and SBA code = FIT go to Q8, else go to Q6

6. How would you rate FEMA financial assistance in arriving in a reasonable amount of time? (Read Rating Scale)

• Excellent

• Good

• Satisfactory

• Below Average

• Poor

• Don’t know/No opinion

If response = Below Average of Poor go to Q6a else go to Q6b

6a. What were the reasons that may have caused the delay: (Do Not Read List Mark All That Apply)

• Additional documents required by FEMA

• Had to resubmit documents to FEMA

• Insurance settlement delayed

• Appeal process

• Error in original application

• Disaster was declared late

• Don’t know why it took so long

• I did not receive any money from FEMA

• Other (Probe & Specify)

• Don’t know the reason for the delay

6b. FEMA provided one or more letters explaining the amount of money and damage types covered. Using a rating scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Did not Understand and 10 is Fully Understood how would you rate the correspondence in clearly explaining your FEMA assistance?

If response = 6 or less go to Q6c else if SBA code is = FIT go to Q7 or if SBA Code is not = FIT go to Q8

6c. What changes are needed to improve correspondence from FEMA?

If SBA code is not = FIT go to Q7 else go to Q8

7. When you registered with FEMA, you may have been referred to the Small Business Administration for a disaster loan to help with personal property, or if you own a business, secondary home or rental property to assist with those damages. Did you apply for the disaster loan?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know/don’t remember

If Q7 response = No go to Q7a, If response = Yes go to 7b else go to Q8

7a. What were the most significant reasons you did not apply for the SBA disaster loan? (Do Not Read List Mark All That Apply)

 Did not want a loan

• Did not think I would qualify

• Could not afford to pay it back

• Applied but was turned down

• Was not told about SBA

• Thought SBA was for Businesses only

 Requested but did not receive the SBA Loan application

 Did not need the loan as FEMA, insurance and other funds were sufficient

 SBA paperwork was too complicated

 SBA Loan period had already ended

• Interest rates were not competitive

 Other reasons (Probe & Specify)

7b. Did you complete your SBA Loan application… (Read List Select 1)

• Online

• At a Disaster Recovery Center

• By completing a paper loan application that you received by mail

• Other (Probe & Specify)

8. Thinking back to your damages immediately following the disaster and your current level of recovery would you say you are: (Read Rating Scale)

• Completely Recovered

• More than Halfway

• Halfway

• Less than Halfway

• Not begun to recover

• Don’t know/No opinion

If response = Less than Halfway or Not begun to recover go to Q8a else go to Q8b

8a. What are the primary reasons for your current level of recovery… (Do Not Read List Mark all That Apply)

 Repair and replacement costs are too high

• No or Not enough money

 Contractor or materials not available

 Insurance settlement delayed, denied or insufficient

 Small Business Administration Loan denied or delayed

 Bank or other loan delayed or denied

 FEMA funds delayed or being appealed

• Weather related delays

• Local permits, demolition or zoning issues

• Doing own repairs

• Relocation move pending

• Lost job, unemployed or unable to work

• No working vehicle

• No public transportation

• Flood buyout program pending

• Mitigation required prior to repairing or rebuilding

• Medical reasons

• Landlord delayed repairs

• Unable to find affordable/accessible housing (Probe & Specify)

 Other reason (Probe & Specify)

• Don’t know/No opinion/Decline to answer

8b. Thinking about FEMA’s role in your recovery, would you say FEMA has been: (Read Rating Scale)

• Extremely helpful

• Very helpful

• Somewhat helpful

• Not very helpful

• Not at all helpful

• Don’t know/No opinion

If response = Not very helpful or Not at all helpful go to Q8c else go to Q9

8c. Please describe why FEMA was not helpful in your recovery: (Do Not Read List Mark All That Apply)

 Amount of money was insufficient

• Some damages were not eligible or covered by FEMA

• Did not qualify for FEMA assistance

• Took too long or still waiting to get FEMA assistance

 FEMA processes too complicated

• Referred to SBA but did not want a loan

• SBA process was too complicated

 Customer Service (Probe & Specify)

• Have Insurance so FEMA could not help

• Did not accommodate my Disability and Function Needs (Probe & Specify)

• Own a Business, Farm, secondary home or rental property so could not get help

 Other reasons (Probe & Specify)

Please consider all of your interactions with FEMA, since the [disaster type] occurred in [Incident Period Month and Year i.e. April, 2012). Using a rating scale of Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Below Average or Poor how would you rate FEMA on:

9a. Making it easy for you to apply for assistance

9b. Being responsive to your needs

9c. Providing caring customer service

9d. Building your trust and confidence

If Q9d response = Below Average or Poor go to Q9e else go to Q9f

9e. Which of the following areas had the greatest impact on your trust and confidence in FEMA? (Read List Mark All That Apply)

• Had to resubmit documents multiple times

• Commitment to your recovery (Probe & Specify)

• Visibility of FEMA in the disaster area

• Amount of money was insufficient or less than expected

• Some items were not eligible or covered by FEMA

• Took too long to get help or assistance

• Incorrect, incomplete or inconsistent information provided (Probe and Specify)

• Customer Service

• Effectiveness of staff

• Other reasons (Probe & Specify)

9f. How would you rate FEMA on providing accommodations for you or members of your household who have disabilities or functional needs would you say… (Read Rating Scale)

• Excellent

• Good

• Satisfactory

• Below Average

• Poor

• No one in the household has disabilities or functional needs

• Don’t know / No Opinion

If response = Below Average or Poor go to Q9g else go to Q10

9g. What changes are needed to improve FEMA services of individuals with disabilities or function needs?

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS & COMMUNICATIONS

The next questions relate to your experiences just prior to and during the first few weeks after the disaster was declared for Federal assistance.

10. Please think back to your household’s emergency preparations prior to the disaster. Which of the following statements best describes your household? Would you say you.. (Read List Select 1)

• Never thought about preparing

• Decided not to prepare

• Were unable to prepare (Probe & Specify)

• Planned to prepare but never got around to it

• Completed some preparation

• Completed many steps in preparation

• Were fully prepared

• Don’t know/don’t remember

10a. During the first few days after the disaster what personal knowledge, skill or experience was most useful to you at that time?

10b. What items did you have on hand that were most useful to you the first few days after the disaster?

10c. If you could have done one thing differently to prepare for the disaster, what would it have been?

10d. In addition to FEMA did you receive help from… (Read List Mark All That Apply)

• Household members

• Neighbors, friends or family

• Nonprofit organizations like American Red Cross or the Salvation Army

• Your faith community such as a congregation

• Local emergency personnel like fire, police, etc.

• State government

• Other (Probe & Specify)

11. After the disaster was there anything you needed help with that no one, including FEMA, non-profit organizations, your local community, your friends and family, etc. could help with?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know/Don’t Remember

If response = Yes go to 11a else go to 11b

11a. What did you need that you could not get help with?

11b. For the next question we will use a rating scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is Not at all likely and 10 is Extremely Likely. Should you be involved in a disaster in the future, how likely are you to apply for FEMA assistance?

11c. What other suggestions would you like to pass on to improve FEMA disaster assistance services.

12. Your opinion is very valuable to us. May we call at a later date to ask some additional questions?

• Yes

• No

Thank you for your time. Have a good day/evening.

FEMA Form 007-0-3 13